Aotearoa: Cuba Street

Aotearoa: Cuba Street

For all its eccentricity it’s hard to believe Wellington’s Cuba Street was named after a British settler ship that came to New Zealand in 1840. A dictionary search for the word ‘eccentric’ told me the word is an adjective to describe a person’s unconventional or slightly strange behaviour. By personifying Cuba in this way I want to emphasise that the context of eccentricity I mean is a totally pleasant one. I’ve had quite a number of family and friends from overseas come to visit me, and I’ve never had qualms about letting them wander Cuba, knowing they’d fall in love with it instantly. Fun, arty, quirky, and colourful, it’s one reason Wellington is the coolest little capital in the world.

Want more action? Watch my short video ‘Un dia en la calle de Cuba’ at the bottom of this page.

If you care to look up while strolling along Cuba St, you’ll find interesting things.Like this building, once a hotel

Hope, fear, and despair seem so far away.Cuba St is for kids too.There is coolness everywhere.

Asian food stalls abound, making you feel you’re somewhere in Asia.

With all the crowd, you can still find your own space. Isn’t that great?

Un dia en la calle de cuba: My little tribute to Cuba Street, with Jake Shimabukuro’s rendition of George Harrison’s ‘While my guitar gently weeps’. For this short video I used a Harinezumi camera for a super 8 effect.